CBRAIN Internship 2026

CBR Research & Innovation (CBRAIN) Internship 2026

Cohort Data Curation and Analysis

The Centre for Brain Research (CBR) invites applications for the CBRAIN Internship Program 2026. Now in its fourth edition, the program continues to provide an opportunity for students passionate about aging brain research.

This year, the program will focus on handling, integrating, and analysing large-scale multimodal health data drawn from publicly available datasets as well as CBR’s longitudinal cohort studies on brain aging. Under the mentorship of leading scientists and data analysis team members at CBR, the interns will develop practical skills in working with diverse data modalities and contribute to research aimed at advancing our understanding of the aging brain and age-related brain disorders. As part of the program, interns will also apply machine learning algorithms to predict cognitive impairment in large cohort studies using state-of-the-art datasets, including multi-omics data. Participants will gain hands-on experience in data science, multimodal data integration, and advanced analytical approaches.

We invite motivated and analytically minded students to join us in uncovering insights from complex health data.

Eligibility

  • The internship is intended for motivated applicants with a strong interest in research on brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases and a willingness to engage rigorously with multimodal datasets.
  • Applicants should be currently enrolled in the final year of a Master’s degree (M.Sc / M.Tech / M.E / MCA / equivalent) at an Indian institution, preferably in Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Data Science, or related quantitative disciplines. Students from other academic backgrounds may also apply, provided they have demonstrable interest and experience in working with data, particularly in a health or biological sciences context. Experience in AI/ML will be viewed favourably.
  • Students in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc / B.Tech / B.E / equivalent) may also apply, provided the other criteria listed above are met.
  • Candidates with basic to intermediate coding proficiency in Python or R will be preferred.

Salient features

  • The internship duration is typically three months (preferably 1 May-31 July 2026). Shorter internships may not be feasible. In select cases, longer engagements will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • The internship will be conducted in person at CBR; remote participation or virtual enrollment will not be possible.
  • A consolidated stipend of INR 25,000 per month will be provided to Master’s students. Bachelor’s students will receive a stipend of INR 20,000 per month.
  • Interns are responsible for arranging their own accommodation and travel.
  • During the program, interns will be required to adhere to CBR’s working hours and other applicable institutional norms.
  • They will have the opportunity to engage with interdisciplinary teams of neuroscientists, clinicians, and data scientists and actively participate in CBR events such as journal clubs and research seminars.
  • At the end of the program, each intern will be required to submit a detailed report summarising the training and accomplishments. There may also be additional requirements, such as a poster presentation, which must be completed satisfactorily in order to receive the internship certificate.

Application process

  • Interested candidates should apply online on or before 23 March 2026. Results will be announced on the CBR website in early April 2026.
  • Please note that queries by phone to the CBR Office will not be entertained.
  • An important part of the application consists of short descriptive questions covering the applicant’s research interests, prior experience with data analysis or quantitative methods, and motivation for applying, including how the internship aligns with their career goals.
  • Referee details will be required as part of the application. However, applicants should arrange for the submission of letters of recommendation only if requested. Recommendation letters are not required to be submitted along with the initial application.
  • The selected candidates will be asked to submit official no-objection certificates from their department or institution heads.
  • CBR’s decision on all applications will be final.

Contact

Queries may be addressed to academics[at]cbr-iisc.ac.in, mentioning ‘CBRAIN Internship 2026’ in the subject line.